A recent analysis of Federal Election Commission data shows that 96 percent of political contributions from National Institutes of Health employees during the 2023-24 election cycle were directed to Democratic candidates or aligned political action committees.
The finding matters to communities of faith because the NIH administers billions of dollars in health research funding that serves the public good. When the workforce of a key public health agency shows a strong partisan tilt, it raises questions about the impartial stewardship of resources intended to improve all lives, regardless of political affiliation.
The College Fix review examined roughly 5,500 individual donations totaling about $320,000 from 2023 through mid‑August 2026. Of that sum, $262,897—or 96 percent—went to Democratic recipients, while only $9,458.36, or 3.5 percent, supported Republican candidates or aligned groups. An additional half‑percent of contributions went to organizations without a clear ideological leaning. In the current midterm cycle, the share of Democratic donations rose to nearly 99 percent, with less than 0.3 percent flowing to Republican causes.
The timing of the report coincides with proposals from the Trump administration to tie federal research grants more closely to the political priorities of the sitting president. Critics, including the Association of American Universities, have warned that such changes could inject partisan considerations into decisions that have traditionally been based on scientific merit, programmatic objectives set by Congress, and agency expertise.
Top Democratic recipients included ActBlue, the Harris for President campaign, and the Harris Victory Fund, while Republican‑aligned contributions were directed primarily to WinRed and two Trump‑affiliated committees. The concentration of donations reflects a broader pattern of liberal political advocacy among many NIH staff, from scientists to program managers who influence grant allocations.
The analysis is likely to prompt NIH leadership to examine internal policies on political activity and reinforce safeguards that ensure grant decisions remain neutral and focused on advancing health outcomes for all. Ongoing transparency will be essential to maintaining public confidence in the agency’s mission.